My Creative Space - Black Jumper

Some more refashioning this week. The jumper I started with is different from last week's project as the wool is machine washable. Learning from previous lessons, I bought this one knowing that it could not be felted!

Here's what I did:
- chopped off the arms
- cut across the top just underneath the V collar
- took it in at the sides
- overlocked around the neckline
- took in the sleeves and reattached them (next time I will cut the armholes in a bit as the sleeves don't sit well on my shoulders)

I wanted it to be a bit longer and the sleeves were too short, so I cut up a woollen skirt I had also bought at the Op Shop (forgot to take a photo) and added about 12cm to the body length and sleeves.

Then I sewed random reverse darts on the front, back and sleeves. And that's it.

Grab a cuppa and see what creativeness is happening out there at Kootoyoo.....

My Creative Space - The Green Vest

A few weeks back, I told the tale of a jumper....

...a jumper with a destiny to be refashioned

...a jumper with a destiny to leave behind her Op Shop past and find a loving home in my wardrobe

... a jumper whose destiny was not to end up as a midrif or as pants for my son


Well after much procrastination panicking planning, I confessed to Gina that I didn't know where to start. She told me to just do what she did and that was all I needed. I got cutting and sewing and am happy to report that the jumper has fulfilled its destiny.

I started with a cut up the front then took the side seams in a little to give it some shape. The collar was then cut down to about half its original size and part of it was used for the front piece with the brooch. The rest of the collar and the sleeves were sewn on the bottom of the vest to give it extra length.

So I send a BIG thankyou to Gina and Mim for sharing their creations and inspiring me. I know it might be daggy to say but I really love this vest! I am excited and inspired at the idea of making things I want to wear from things that somebody else didn't want to wear.

And on the thanking, thankyou to Nic at yardage girl for the fabric she sent me. Now, what to do with it... .hmmm....

Head over to Kirsty's to visit more creative spaces...

My Creative Space - The Past, Present & Future

The Past
An unexpected gift with a simple "you'll probably need to dye it because the colour is not great. Is that OK?".

"Of course not," I replied, filled with an equal mix of love from this act of kindness, and fear of not having a clue on what is involved in dyeing. Hazy memories of tie-dyed tshirts came flooding back to me... an arty phase I was not eager to relive.




The Present
I decided to try and step outside my comfort zone and not go for black. A dark green seemed like a subtle shift in colour I could manage. But standing in the chemist - overwhelmed by all millions of little tins - I panicked and stuck with what I know (and love). So armed with my $4 tin of Ebony Black, I read and reread the instructions.... it felt like a recipe for disaster!


Maybe it was the original colour of the jumper or something I buggered up in the process, but my should-be-ebony-black jumper is now a gorgeous deep green.


I'm not at all disappointed and sort of love that the jumper took control and helped me stick to my original decision.

The Future
....to refashion this deep green jumper into a fabulous top I love to wear. I have been completely inspired by some awesome refashioning here and here. And of course here.... the post from the gorgeous unexpected gift giver that started all this craziness! Cross your fingers for me.....

Check out other spaces full of creativeness at Kooyotoo...

Jumper, jumper, cardigan, pants

Remember that man's jumper that I refashioned (unintentionally) into a midrif... well I didn't give up on it. Out came the good scissors and I cut up the front to make it into a cardigan. Because of the extra fabric in the neckline, it hung really well... but it still sat too high, especially at the back. Even though I could wear it with layers, I didn't feel comfortable in it so I knew if I left it, it would sit in my wardrobe and I would never wear it.

Still not wanting to give up, I laid a pair of my boy's pants on the cardigan and started cutting. Again, I found the whole "sewing without a pattern" thrilling.... (this could become addictive!)....


...and ended up with a pair of Size 1 pants. I used the sleeves for the legs and the band that was around the bottom of the cardigan as the waistband, folded over to hold the elastic.


So that's the refashioning story of the jumper, jumper, cardigan, pants.... a story I am so glad I started and preserved with, and that ended well!

Lessons in Refashioning

Incredibly inspired by this awesomeness created by Gina - yes, I wanted to be her neighbour! - I marched down to the Op Shop on a mission. I found the "thought to be perfect" jumper to refashion into my own felted top.


After 2 washes in hot water and NO sign on shrinkage or any resemblance of felting, I emailed Gina in a tizz... what was I doing wrong?

It turned out that it wasn't what I WAS doing wrong.... it was what I had DONE wrong...


Lesson 1: read the label

Determined not to give up and waste my big spend of $4, I soldiered on. Having to let go of my original plan gave me a strange sense of freedom, something I am not really all that comfortable with as I am very much a follow-the-pattern type of girl.

Anyway, things were looking good. I overlocked the neck edge and left it raw, assuring myself this was deliberate and not unfinished (again with the pattern and rules thing). I shortened the arms to 3/4 length and sewed them back on. I even cut the front bigger than the back, leaving extra fabric along the front neckline which could be folded up with a pin.

My masterpiece was finished and I must admit, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed not following a pattern and at how well it had turned out.

Then I tried it on.
Lesson 2: measure your length

I made the jumper too short. In this photo, it is pulled down as much as possible, and even with a top underneath, it rides up and comes dangerously close to being a mid-rif. And while I do puffer vests, I don't do mid-rifs.


So while I love the raw (not unfinished!) necklane and the way it sits with a gorgeous brooch, and the baggy 3/4 sleeves, it's back to the drawing board.


But I'm not writing this top off yet... the scissors are hovering close by, especially after seeing this on Tricia's blog. And a felted top remains on my 'To Do' list... as does buying a woollen jumper that is NOT Machine washable!

Something for me - Part 2

I have been sewing lots lately but for other people. I thought it was time to make something for me. Past attempts to make clothes for myself have not ended well. I seem to always have trouble fitting patterns and the finished item never seems to look how I thought it would. Then I feel like I have wasted my time and the fabric and I'm never going to make myself anything again. All very dramatic!

But I decided I needed to stop worrying and just make something. So rather than deal with the stress of a bought pattern, I pulled out a top I liked but no longer fit and made my own pattern by copying what I liked and adding what I wanted. My mum happened to be staying over while all this was happening and as she is a great sewer, was able to offer excellent support and encouragement.

Anyway... after not too many hassles, this is what I came up with.



I am really happy with my new top, but the best part of this whole process is that I did it without worrying about perfection, following steps and what might be wasted if it didn't work. There is hope for me yet!